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Battling the Afghan insurgency

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US soldiers with the NATO- led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) are seen during a foot patrol in Kandahar, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 7, 2012. The process of taking over security from over 130,000-strong NATO-led ISAF forces by Afghan troops would be completed by the end of 2014 when Afghanistan will take over the full leadership of its own security duties from US and NATO forces. Allauddin Khan/AP

US soldiers part of the NATO- led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) walks, as a US Chinook helicopter is seen in the background near the place where the foundation of a hospital was laid in Shindand, Herat, west of Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 28, 2012. The foundation of a US military funded 50 bed hospital was laid with the cost of 400,000 US dollars in Shindand of Herat, the hospital project is expected to be completed in 18 months. Hoshang Hashimi/AP

A US soldier from Comanche Troop 3rd Squadron 4th Cavalry lists down soldiers doing pull-ups on a bar at the entrance of a mess hall in Forward Operating Base Connolly in Nangarhar province, eastern Afghanistan, March 5, 2012. Soldiers are required to do six pull-ups before every meal. Erik De Castro /Reuters

Foreign troops with International Security Assistant Forces (ISAF) celebrate Mardi Gras festival at a NATO base in Kabul, Afghanistan, February 21, 2012. There were feathered masks, glitter, cakes, and guns: America's most raucous holiday was feted by NATO troops and their colleagues in Kabul in their heavily barricaded headquarters. Omar Sobhani /Reuters

US soldiers part of the NATO- led International Security Assistace Force (ISAF) are seen alert at the scene of a suicide attack in Kandahar, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, Feb. 5, 2012. The US military is fully committed to its mission in Afghanistan and has no plans to change its strategy despite the recent deadly violence that has shaken the already fragile relations between Americans and their Afghan partners, according to the Pentagon. Allauddin Khan/AP

In this Jan. 28, 2012 photo, US Sergeant Courtney B. Sgiagga (c.) a member of the medevac operation center gives information about their equipment at the medevac operation center of the US Bagram air field north of Kabul, Afghanistan. Musadeq Sadeq/AP

A US soldier walks near the scene of a suicide attack in Kandahar south of Kabul, Afghanistan, Jan. 11, 2012. A teenage suicide bomber slipped inside police headquarters in Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, detonating his cache of explosives and wounding one officer, the chief of the headquarters said. Allauddin Khan/AP

US Marine Lance Cpl. John Brewer of Southaven, Miss., with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., shoots at insurgents during a fire fight in the village of Salaam Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 20. David Goldman/AP

US Marine Staff Sgt. Jon Joyce of Swansboro, N.C., with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., calls for more ammo during a fire fight with insurgents in the village of Salaam Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 20. David Goldman/AP

US Marines with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., take cover during a fire fight with insurgents in the village of Salaam Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 20. David Goldman/AP

Shahazada (r.), a local Afghan man, pleads with US Marine Capt. Mark Paige of Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., to move snipers off the roof of his home for fear of being shot at by the Taliban in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 21. David Goldman/AP

US Marine Staff Sgt. Charles Frangis, of Great Falls, Va., with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., stands on a pile of dried poppy heads while looking for insurgents in the village of Siraqula in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 21. David Goldman/AP

A spotter with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., climbs to the top of a guard post as an insurgent is identified planting a roadside bomb at Patrol Base Salaam Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 23. David Goldman/AP

US Marine sniper Sgt. Jordan Davis of Martin, Tenn., with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., points out an insurgent planting a roadside bomb at Patrol Base Salaam Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 23. David Goldman/AP

US Marine Capt. Mark Paige of Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., looks through binoculars from a guard post at an insurgent planting a roadside bomb at Patrol Base Salaam Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 23. David Goldman/AP

US Marine sniper Sgt. Jordan Davis of Martin, Tenn., with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., rushes to a shooting position as an insurgent is identified planting a roadside bomb at Patrol Base Salaam Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 23. David Goldman/AP

US Marine Staff Sgt. Charles Frangis of Great Falls Va. (l.), passes a gun to Sgt. Jerry Saunders of Winston-Salem, N.C., both with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., as they take position on a rooftop to look for insurgents in the village of Siraqula in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 21. David Goldman/AP

US Marine sniper Sgt. Jordan Davis of Martin, Tenn., with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., fires at an insurgent believed to be planting a roadside bomb at Patrol Base Salaam Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 23. David Goldman/AP

US Marines Sgt. Kenneth Schaal (r.) of Toms River, N.J., and Sgt. Jason Gagliano of Youngstown, Ohio, with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., eye possible insurgents during a mission in the village of Mushazi in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 19. David Goldman/AP

US Army Specialist Jason Williams (r.) and Private First Class Dillon Cable fire a 120mm mortar during a fire fight between Taliban fighters and Afghan and US soldiers from Alpha company, 2nd battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, in Combat Outpost Pirtle King in Kunar province, Afghanistan, on July 18. Baz Ratner/Reuters

US Army Specialist Blair Brown loads a 120mm mortar shell during a fire fight between Taliban fighters and Afghan and US soldiers from Alpha company, 2nd battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment at Combat Outpost Pirtle King in Kunar province, Afghanistan, on July 18. Baz Ratner/Reuters

A US soldier speaks to a colleague wounded by a roadside bomb before loading him onto a medevac helicopter from the US Army's Task Force Lift 'Dust Off,' Charlie Company 1-52, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on July 23. Rafiq Maqbool/AP

Lance Cpl. John Brewer of Southaven, Miss., with the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., carries his machine gun upon returning to base following a patrol through the village of Salaam Bazaar in Helmand province, Afghanistan, on July 22. David Goldman/AP